Lynne Tagawa and Free Books!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the time of the Great Awakening?

First things first: I must apologize for the delay of this post, readers. We had to evacuate for the California fires, which threw everything off schedule. I'm back home now, thanking God for preserving us and our belongings and praying for so many people who fared far worse. And I commend the fire and rescue teams here in California. Amazing, efficient, brave people!

As a consequence of my delay, you'll see three posts this weekend, each of which will feature a separate book and give-away. (And tomorrow's post will feature a number of give-aways--stay tuned!) I hope you'll enjoy each post and will comment and/or subscribe to win!

Before we meet today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the free e-copy of my contemporary romance, A Midnight Clear, is:

lorigeorge@...

And the winner of the free e-copy of my contemporary romance, Together by Design, is:

rivera0327@...

And the winner of the free e-copy of my contemporary romance, Local Girl, is:

lwalters25@...

Congratulations! I'll get your books right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to learn about new releases! U.S. subscribers are entered in the drawings a second time when they comment.

And now let's meet novelist Lynne Tagawa, author of the historical novel (with a strong romantic streak), The Shenandoah Road: A Novel of the Great Awakening (Blue Rock Press, July 2018).

Lynne Tagawa is married with four grown sons and three marvelous grandbabies.

A biology teacher by trade, she teaches part-time, writes, and edits. She’s written a Texas history curriculum in narrative form, Sam Houston’s Republic, and two novels, A Twisted Strand and The Shenandoah Road.

Lynne lives with her husband in South Texas.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I play the flute. I’ve played a couple of times for weddings. Otherwise just with the pianist for church preludes. I’m one of those band people who never quite gave it up.

That's to be admired, Lynne. It's wonderful you've kept up your ability to play.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of The Shenandoah Road.

Both of my characters have spiritual struggles, and that is a core theme.

But another fascinating thing about the time period of the 1740s is that there was no single colonial “culture.” There were the New Englanders, there were the Quakers, the Virginians, and then the Scots-Irish. So when a Scots-Irish frontiersman courts a lass born in Boston...? You can guess what fun I had with that.

But the plot itself involves a physical journey as well, involving some typical hazards of travel in that time period. And, of course, a villain.

What is it about your lead characters that will make your readers care about them?

My frontiersman has a lot of strengths. He is godly and honorable. But he lost his first wife, and he’s in the graveyard in the first scene, and you feel for him. There are things he needs to learn, and we watch him struggle through these lessons. The heroine is a bit younger, and you see her grappling with new things and ideas in a sweet way. But she’s really challenged both spiritually and emotionally, and on top of that, has to adapt to a strange culture. All this supplies the pathos of the story.

And the conflict, which is great!

If your book were developed into a film, what’s one song you’d love to have in it?

I quote a bit from Isaac Watts, as my character purchased his hymnbook from Ben Franklin. In our church we sing his hymn “How Sweet and Awful is the Place” to the old Celtic tune “St. Columba,” which the Shenandoah Valley settlers would have known. No, it’s not romantic, but incredibly sweet and timeless.

I don't know that hymn, but I sought it out. I think the version I found might be a more "contemporary" melody. I can imagine it sung by a group of frontiersmen, maybe accompanied by a plaintive fiddle.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I recently finished Leisha Kelly’s Depression-era trilogy (Julia's Hope is the first book). She is great at bringing out the real struggles of the time period while remaining encouraging. She brings light to the darkness instead of wallowing there.

What are you working on now?

A sequel! I fell in love with my characters, the Shenandoah Valley, and historical fiction in general. Lord willing, I’d like to complete a trilogy, with the last installment covering the Revolutionary War period.

Sneak preview to the second one: John Russell will join the Virginia militia, headed by a very young man by the name of George Washington. And his daughter grows up.

It's always a good idea to have a sequel/series idea ready!

Where else can readers find you online?

Goodreads, Facebook: Lynne Basham Tagawa

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What was the last book you read that challenged you spiritually?

Thank you, Lynne, for visiting and telling us about yourself and your book. Readers, Lynne has offered to give away free e-copy of her novel. To enter, leave a comment and your email below in answer to Lynne's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that U.S. subscribers are entered an additional time in each drawing. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Only United States residents are eligible for the drawing, but anyone can subscribe to the blog posts via the GDPA-compliant Feedblitz box above my list of books, at right.

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Remember, if you'd like information on additional new releases, check out Christian Book Heaven, a new email newsletter for Christian book deals in whatever genres you select. You can subscribe here: ChristianBookHeaven

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, GDPA notice, and my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE